"Ich bin ein Berliner"

For the benefit of Hey Lady, I've included more photo's.

Or, any excuse to show my holiday snaps.

Firstly the site of the Imperial Royal Palace, which is now being rebuilt, with private funds. When the Soviets took over after the war, the Palace, being a symbol of imperialism, was destroyed and replaced with, Palast der Republik, The seat of the East German Government. Unfortunately, this was later condemned for having too much asbestos in its' construction.

It's possible to include Berlin Cathedral, the Fernsehturm and The Imperial Royal Palace in one shot.

Apparently the East Germans were big fans of Groucho Marks.

At 38 degrees, the animals is the two zoos were not too active.

At 22 Euro's, I just had to have this East German military hat.

Take one hotel court yard, add a lift in the middle, surround lift with tubular fish tank. How cool is that?

The Wall as a display. There are some small sections of wall that remain in place, but they are being picked away by souvenir hunters.

This library courtyard provided very welcome foot massage to everyone who staggered here on a very hot day.

This is the kind of detail I love. A working lift pump. It's about 8ft tall. It was a hot day, and I'll drink from anything.
Little Miss, "What does it taste like?"
Tickersoid, "Iron. It tastes like the cooling water at the steelworks."
Little Miss, "You mean like teaspoons?"
Tickersoid, "I'm not sure what you mean."
Little Miss tastes water.
Little Miss, "I thought so, it tastes like teaspoons."


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Tickersoid's guide to Berlin.

Bicycles are allowed on the U-bahn (subway).
Berliners are big on bicycles.
You can chain a bike up with it's lights attached all day and no one will steal your bike or lights or kick in the wheels.
Because of the bike culture, there are no fat people.
You can also bring your dog on the U-bahn.
German announcements are, unlike the more chipper British chimes, preceded by a death knell.
If you want air-con, you have to eat in Star Bucks. We have been living on cake, coffee and ice-cream for three days. We are now 16 stone and unable to sleep.
Motorcyclists don't have to wear a crash helmet.
The rules of the road are different in each half, this causes confusion and consequent accident's.
East Berlin is now shiny and new.
West Berlin is shabby in comparison.
Suppression of vegitation in urbun areas is meagre, consequently there is a 'post apocalyptic' look to the place.
Very little litter, lots of graffiti.
A lot of flats are made from prefabricated concrete and yet it works and actually looks attractive. My suspicion is that, unlike the British buildings of similar construction, the Krouts stuck to the rules and didn't cut corners with the steel corrosion proofing, the mix of the concrete or the burning off of steel lugs that didn't align on construction.
Being a reunited city, there are two of everything, that there should only be one of, such as two zoos and two airports.

This picture encapsulates my image of Berlin. The art deco surround, the bicyles, slim people, graffiti and grass trying to reclaim the site.

There is a lot of this kind of naff art-deco. I quite like it.

I also like the more considered art-deco such as this station.

The older buildings such as Berlin Cathedral all had to be reconstructed after the war.


Little Miss looking down on the Fernsehturm. They grow up so fast.


Of course, no tour of Berlin is complete without a picture of the Batternburg Cake.